DoT Denies AGR Relief Parity to Airtel and Tata Teleservices

On March 30, 2026, the Department of Telecommunications refused to grant similar relief to Bharti Airtel Limited and Tata Teleservices Limited, which was granted to Vodafone Idea Limited. They were directed to pay approximately ₹10,000 crore in adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues by March 31, 2026.

The matter goes back to the judgment of the Supreme Court of India in Union of India v. Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India in October 2019, where the definition of AGR was upheld to include non-telecom revenues. Thereafter, in later orders, the Court laid down the framework for the staggered payment of dues.

On May 19, 2025, the Supreme Court of India dismissed writ petitions filed by Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices seeking waiver of interest, penalty and interest on penalty components of AGR dues, holding that the issues raised had already attained finality and could not be reopened. The Court reiterated that AGR liabilities are binding and enforceable.

Later, on October 27, 2025, the Supreme Court of India left it to the Central Government to reconsider Vodafone Idea Limited’s pending AGR dues for the 2016-17 period. Taking note of the financial position of Vodafone idea and the adverse potential impact on the telecom sector after its collapse, the court declined to interfere and permitted the Centre to consider the representation. Consequently, on December 31, 2025, the Union Cabinet approved the freezing of the pending dues for a period of five years, amounting to ₹87,695 crore.

In this context, Bharti Airtel wrote to the Department of Telecommunications to seek reassessment of its AGR dues and similar relief as Vodafone Idea, citing a discrepancy in the calculation.

However, the department made it clear that the relief given to Vi was company-specific and based on its financial position, the same will not be applicable to other companies. It was made clear that any telecom operator seeking similar relief has to approach the apex court.

One of the reasons for the Department of Telecommunications to not consider the request of Bharti Airtel was that the company generated cash flow of around ₹55,300 crore in 2024-25, raised funding, and has a 40% market share now.

It was remarked that telecom operators have to deposit the AGR installments as per the Supreme Court’s directions, and if the timeline is not complied with, it may attract consequences, along with contempt of court.